The Best Free Stuff For Active Military & Veterans

Military members sacrifice so much, yet they are among the lowest-paid in the nation. In exchange for subsidized housing and healthcare, military families are left with much less cash to use for other living necessities and luxuries.

In acknowledgment of the great sacrifices that military personnel, families, and veterans make, many companies and organizations have dedicated special discounts, deals, and memberships just for them. 

If you’re an active military member or veteran, you could be leaving money on the table. To help you take advantage of these great deals, we’ve put together this list of free stuff for veterans and active-duty military.

Free Travel For Veterans and Active Duty

Some of the best free stuff for veterans lies in the travel and entertainment industries. If you just welcomed a family member home from deployment and need some family time, check out the long list of amusement parks, state parks, museums, and more that offer free admission and benefits to veterans.

National Parks

Many government-run parks are already free, but for the national parks that charge admission, you can get in for free. You can choose to enter national parks for free in one of two ways:

• Visit the national park on Veteran’s Day and show your ID
• Sign up for America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Recreation Lands Pass for a full year of free admission at any park

The good news is that this deal applies to all military-related personnel, including active duty, veterans, reserve, and National Guard.

Amusement Parks

Looking for a trip that young kids will enjoy? Many amusement parks offer free admission to their grounds for military personnel.

If you love Seaworld, the Waves of Honor program offers year-round free admission to active duty military, reservists, and the National Guard. For veterans, free admission is available on Veteran’s Day! This program extends to other related parks, including Busch Gardens and Sesame Place, and even includes free parking.

If you’re on active duty, you can get free admission to Florida’s LEGOLAND park as well. If you’re not active duty or you’re a family member, you are eligible for great discounts. 

Sign up online and claim your free admission on their websites!

Museums

Many museums extend free admission to military members as well. The 9/11 Memorial Museum offers free admission to both active duty military and veterans. The MoMA offers one free ticket to active duty members and extends free admission to their family members.

In addition, there is a Blue Stars Museums program, which offers free admission to participating museums across the U.S. for active-duty members and their families. 

To check eligibility and claim free admission, you can visit most museum websites and sign up. For the Blue Stars Museum program, you can check their online map and pick your museum tickets right from their site.

Live Entertainment

If you love live entertainment, Blue Star Theatres collaborates with the Theater Communications Group to offer free admission to over 170 different playhouses and theatres across the country.

Further, there’s an organization called Vet Tix which offers tickets to active duty military, veterans, and families. You can get free tickets to plays, sporting events, concerts, and more. 

For these services, you can sign up online and pick the tickets you want. They’ll send your tickets to you, sometimes with a small shipping charge.

Zoos

Across the country, zoos offer free or highly discounted tickets to military members and their families. The Bronx Zoo, for example, offers a free Total Experience or General Admission ticket for one active duty member. In addition, three family members of that military member can get half-priced tickets.

Veterans at the Bronx Zoo can get 20% off their tickets as well.

Other zoos that offer free tickets for part or all of the year are:

• San Diego Zoo
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
• Montgomery Zoo
• Louisville Zoo
• Jacksonville Zoo
• Atlanta Zoo
• Zoo New England

If you have a zoo near you, it’s very likely they offer military discounts. Be sure to check their policies and offers! Many times, you can get your free tickets right on their websites and show your ID at the ticket counter.

Free Family Help For Veterans and Active Duty

Looking for advice about free stuff for veterans as it relates to supporting family members? When active-duty members get deployed, or veterans come home unable to perform responsibilities, family members need assistance. Here are some great programs for family members.

Education

When a parent gets deployed, it can be really difficult to maintain full focus and performance at school for children. If you’re parenting alone while your spouse is deployed, you might need help keeping your kids on track. Tutor.com offers free tutoring help to active duty family members.

Family Portraits

When your family gets separated often by the military, it’s important to cherish moments when you’re together. While a spouse or parent is deployed, it’s nice to have keepsakes to look upon while they’re gone. If a huge family event happens while they’re gone, you’ll want to take pictures so they can see them when they return.

Love Reunited offers free professional photography and gifts to military families waiting to welcome their military members home. This organization has participating photographers around the globe, so make sure to search for your nearest photographer on their website.

Lawn Care

If you are getting deployed and won’t be able to take care of your landscaping, or your family will be overwhelmed by the responsibility, try GreenCare for Troops. This organization allows you to sign up online for lawn and landscaping services for free during your deployment.

Financial Help

Finances are usually pretty tight when you’re a military member, so many financial organizations offer free help. SaveAndInvest.org offers free credit scores and analytical tools! You can also take advantage of many free services on base, where military personnel and family members can get financial and legal assistance. 

Baby Showers

Expecting a baby? The USO and What To Expect Foundation have teamed up to throw free baby showers for expectant mothers in military families. Going through a pregnancy and birth without your spouse’s presence and support is hard enough, so they take the financial and planning burden off your shoulders.

Find More Free Things Today

As a military member, veteran, or family member, you deserve all the free things for veterans and active-duty military you can get. Never stop Googling “free stuff for veterans near me!” There will always be new deals and discounts popping up that can help you enjoy family time and stress less about your finances.On Free Stuff Texas, we are always updating our visitors on the newest deals for free stuff on the internet. Check out our blog to find free stuff for veterans and other great deals!